1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus for exposing a photosensitive recording medium to light using a mask member, and more particularly to an image recording apparatus which can also expose a photosensitive recording medium to light by means of an image bearing member, other than a mask member, such as a slide film.
2. Description of Prior Art
An image recording apparatus which uses a mask member has been conventionally proposed and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,082. As shown in FIG. 3, the image recording apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,082 is constituted from a laser printer section B and a color printer section C. In the laser printer section B, a toner image is formed on a sheet fed from a sheet unit 300 to produce a mask member. The mask member thus produced is introduced to an exposure position between an exposure unit 270 and a photosensitive pressure-sensitive microcapsule sheet 900. Then, an exposure operation is performed by the exposure unit 270 so that a latent image corresponding to the toner image formed on the mask member is formed on the photosensitive pressure-sensitive microcapsule sheet 900. After exposure processing for a mask member is completed it is fed from the exposure position and stored in a feed passage 220a. A similar operation is performed with a total of three mask members (individually having thereon toner images corresponding to the three primary colors). Then the portion of the photosensitive pressure-sensitive microcapsule sheet 900 on which the latent image is formed and a developer sheet 220 are pressurized by a pressure developing unit 230 to record a color image on the developer sheet 220.
Since the mask members, after the first use, are stored in the fed passage 22a which generally makes a loop, additional color images can be produced by successively introducing the mask members to the exposure position.
With the conventional apparatus described above, however, since the feed passage for a mask member is located above the exposure position and the exposure unit is disposed on the inner side of the feed passage, the exposure can only be performed with close contact between the mask member and the microcapsule sheet 900 thereby producing an exposure of an equal magnification. Accordingly, there is a problem that a color image cannot be obtained by enlarging an exposure from a slide film, negative or a like transparency.